Improvement in sheep-rack



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.SHELBY REED, OF SCOTTSVILLE, NEW YQRK.'

i Letters Patent No.`88,21-1, lated March 23, 186i).

IMPROVEMET IN SHEEP-RACK.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part o! the salme To all whom it may con-cem:

Be it known that I, SHELBY REED, of Scottsville, county of Monroe, and State of New York, have invented a. new and improved Mode for Constructing Sheep-Racks; and I do hereby declare that the fol-` llowing is a full and exact description of the same, refe erencc being had to the accompanying drawing, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a threet-ier portable sheep-rack.

Figure 2 represents a transverse section of my improved shecp-'rack, showing three tiers,aud blidges leading to the upper tiers.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a portable sheep-lack, of two or more tiers, or stories, one above the other, in which more sheep can be fed and sheltered, iu proportion to the lumber used in constructing'I the same, and to the space it occupies, than in any other sheep rack now use.

To enable others skilled in the art to make or use my invention, 4I will proceed to describe the construction and arrangement of the same.

. Fig. 1, in the accompanying drawing, represents a perspective view of a three-tier sheep-rack, with a feedalley, marked a, through its centre.

Fig. 2, of same drawing, shows a transverse section of a three-tier rack as constructed. by me.,

-The tiers, or racks are marked b b b, and are arranged on both sides of the centre, or feed-alley a.

The doors of the racks, marked c c c, are made tight, to prevent any impurities 'from falling through the oors on the sheep in the lower racks.

The floors c c c are also made slightly inclinjng toward the outside walls g g.

- In the outside walls g g, and even with each of the floors c c c of the racks', or tiers b b b, are narrow openings, ll d d, ruiming lengthwise with each door These openings are provided with hinged shutters t' i i, as shown in drawing, fig. 1. The openings cl l d are for the purpose of cleaning thc floors c'c c.

The mangers, marked c e c, are placed in the feedalley a. They are always dry, an d can he cleaned with ease. rlhe feed `can readily be distributed.

The rack, being portable, can be moved, with one open end, against a stack or barn-door. The opposite end may beclcsed by a door. The sheep and shepherd are thus protected from scathing winds and weather; also from crowding live stock.

The sheep ascend to the second and third stories, or tiers by guarded bridges ff, shown indrawing, figs. l and 2, which graties their natural propensity-for c1imbingup to a dry and clean place to feed and ruminate.

More sheep can be fed and sheltered, in proportion to the lumber used in constructing my improved rack, and to the space that it occupies, than in any other rack now in use or known. l v

My rack can be made of cheap lumber, without a tenon or mortise. y

A three-tier sheep-rack, constructed as shown in drawing, iigs. 1 and 2, will accommodate six sheep to every footin length.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a sliding har, which is made to cover the aperture through which the animals put their heads while feeding from the troughs e, it having slots formed ihn it, corresponding to those iu the partitions which divide the apartments in which' the sheep are kept from the central, or feedngdtpartment. 'l

Itwill be seen, by reference to the drawings, that when the shepherd desires to prevent 'the animals from feeding, he has only to move the slide, or bar into such a position that the bars thereof, which lare left between t-he open spaces, will cover the open spaces between the slats in the partition, and thus cut oi' all access to the feeding-troughs. y

Among the advantages due to my improvement may be mentioned the fact, that when the sheep are housed in this way, they are entirelyr safe from the attacks of dogs, wolves, or .other animals which preyy upon them.

What I claim asmy invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Construct-ing a sheep-rack with three horizontal apartments, the two outer ones being for the reception o i' thc animals, and the central one for the convenience 

